The age of Essentials.

No matter what, no matter who or whatever happens in Australia or elsewhere in this neck of the woods or deserts, we will never have a Christine Lagarde amongst our gaggle of politicians.

How refreshing to hear the IMF’s chief last night on the ABC’s Questions & Answers. “Health and education are NOT entitlements”, she reiterated several times.
Eighty individuals now own half the world’s wealth. How can that be right?

You wonder how the world can continue on with such gross inequity? There were always rich and poor. Just reading old Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace where it is taken for granted that footmen turn up at any given time, all dressed in finest livery, to take the rich and famous to the next dinner or party somewhere in St Petersburg.

One of his quotes still rings true: “Everything comes in time to him/her who knows how to wait.”

I reckon we will wait a long time before we have an admission from our leaders that Health and Education are the pinnacles that a good and just society is based upon. They are not entitlements, they are necessities that should be equally available to all.

Isn’t it telling that the IMF chief, fearlessly, appears on such a public program in Australia, and yet, our PM never. Such an incoherent bumbling coward. ” We will not listen to “Moral objections ” ,re the killing and maiming of Manus Island illegally detained prisoners of war.

The refugees on Manus Island were told they will never be allowed to settle in Australia, no matter what. There are 700.000 people having fled into Turkey, another 700.000 into Jordan, just over the last few months from Syria alone, and yet…Australia not generous enough to allow AT LEAST those that have been found wandering the ocean in leaky boats.

What sort of hell-hole did my parents migrate to?

At least I have my words that I can type out on my electric writing motor and, if that fails, I have my H and Milo in that order. 😉 Just making Spätzle. I have my H, than my putor and then Milo.

“You are a bit grumpy this morning” she told me. No real reason, “just pissed off with this government”. “No you are not,” “you are just naturally grumpy, regardless of anything”, she answered so brutally but with a fair crack of the whip. To be honest, grumpiness is the domain of men, I reckon. My H said, ” I was hoping that with your flagging testosterone diminishing that goodness and sweetness would come to the fore a bit more often.

29 Responses to “The age of Essentials.”

I share your sentiments in regard to Australian politics in general and Abbott in particular. Christine Lagarde is an exceptional woman and she would not have come if it wasn’t for the G20 conference of finance ministers. But she explained that the G 20 (Paul Keating’s babby) is an important forum for the betterment of the world. She gave a polished performance last night on Q and A. She is a conservative not a Lefty. While Abbott is an reactionary, Neoliberal. With other words he is bad news.

This morning he appeared on TV and declared the first duty of a government is the defence of the country’s border. Our Navy doesn’t even know where the borders are. They bought some new high-tech planes for maritime surveillance.

What is happening on Manus Island is a national disgrace.The püolice chief of the island said that the asylum seeker there are good, and well educated, people. The Australian do everything wrong. He has been told to shut up.

Good comment berlioz1935. “Defending our country’s border” is just a fear tactic that Abbott has used to get into power and will continue to use. Defending our border from whom? There is no threat. He is a very dangerous person.

Indeed he is, Rosie. The same day they say there is no money for the pensions and for health they order four planes from America for 4 Billion Dollars ! It is outrageous. Who is the enemy? The way they are sending the navy out without maps and they getting lost in Indonesian territory we might have a shooting war soon.

Yes, I was very impressed with her performance and with her charming way of dealing with questions. Strong yet not offensive. She might be conservative but here in Aussieland it feels as if she is from the extreme left. My goodness; Education and Health not ‘entitlements’.
That must have sounded like heresy to Abbott and his cohorts.

“To be honest, grumpiness is the domain of men, I reckon. My H said, ” I was hoping that with your flagging testosterone diminishing that goodness and sweetness would come to the fore a bit more often.”
In my humble opinion it is just the flagging testosterone that makes elderly men often somewhat ‘grumpy’.
A very intelligent, charming, well educated woman, who is not out to play the men’s power game, can be a real eye opener. Why should we not be able to breed such women in Australia? There seemed to be a few smart young women in the audience. 🙂

Of course there are smart women and they will get more power. Australia was at the foreground together with New Zealand to give women the right to vote. (NZ was first.)
Most of the questions last night on Q&A seemed to come from strong women. H is very strong, but then she comes from Finland! 😉

Ah Gerard – your list of preferences is slightly out of order I think. You said ” I have my H then my putor then Milo”. I think it should go – you have your H then Milo then your putor. Apart from that I share your sentiments – Australia is making me very angry.

Yes, but Milo jumps up against my side of the bed, sometimes at 3am when he thinks he hears a possum. I don’t mind 6.10am but at 3am?
He needs to be taught a lesson, or at least shake up H at times
Even so; good boy Milo, good boy!.

After reading so much glum news tonight about what the Abbott Government’s intentions are about everything – I then had a good laugh imagining Milo jumping up on your side of the bed because he thinks he hears a possum. He is just trying to protect you from those dangerous possums. But I thought he slept outside? Obviously not always. Dear Milo.

Milo has won. He now dictates to me his every whim. If he hears the slightest noise, he will call me into action to let him out, or…when the possum action is over…after I have finally fallen back to sleep again, bangs on the door to let him in. By banging, I mean he hurls his entire body against the door.
He sleeps outside, inside, in between, and during the night both.
He daren’t do anything to H. She is still in full command, sleeps like an angel. JRTs are really smart.

What about a “doggy door” for Milo – that may solve the problem. I had one for my Jack Russell. Yes they are very smart and very determined. You suggest he should be taught a lesson – I don’t think so – HE will decide how he lives his life. Isn’t that right?

A doggy door? We are just contemplating getting double glazing. The nights get very cold here. No, Milo is very clever and would still want to muck up. It is the entertainment value of it all.
In any case, he keeps us very fit.

Gerard I wonder who amongst your readers is going to attend the “March in March” gatherings? Are you going? I will be attending my nearest one with one of my adult kids – and her kids (16 and 19 years) are also attending – their decision. Strength in numbers – it will feel good to actually DO something rather than just post comments on blogs – although they are important too.

I really admire Helvi’s spunk. Good on her. Irish gets very grumpy, I have to whip him back into shape fast or life isn’t worth living. Have you ever seen the tv programme ‘One foot in the grave?’ the main character is Victor Meldrew, I think you’d like it very much. I’m sure you will be able to find a clip of it on Youtube.
My apologies, Gerard. I’m not au-fait with Australian politics so don’t feel able to comment on what you write here, however I have nothing but contempt for the government that is running the UK, they are a bunch of *&^%$£@’s – The UK is a shambles right now, it’s time for a revolution!

This post is causing me a headache from laughing. So you and Andrew are modeled on some character named Meldrew. Sorry but I’m completely out of the loop here. But I agree with all that are not happy with their respective governments. No need to feel individual.

The good ole USA is in a pickle as well. Greed and corruption has ruined our country plus incompetent politicians. I feel that one day all the major powers will collapse and we’ll be taken over by something even worse than what we have now.

Yvonne;
Laughter is the best medicine. H and I do a lot of that, especially H who has a very infective laugh. I mean, peals of laughter and very heartily. She has a terrific sense of humour. Glad I met her. My laughter is more inclined towards a supressed snigger or form of guffawing.
I wonder what your laughing is like.